Top.



R. LANGSTAFP.

TOP.

APPLIOATION FILED 00T.27, 1913.

1,109,426. Patented sepu1,1914

gmx/Wto@ WMe/oom I UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

" ROBERT' LANGsTarr, or portons, PEuNsYLvANIa 'Specilcatioa of Letters Patent. Application` led October 27, 191i?. Sera1No.,787,628.

Patented Sept. -1, 19,14.

tain new and useful Improvements in Tops.

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to spinning topS and particularly to that type which are spun by tbe use of a whip or lash. Tops of this general type have not been extensivel f used chiefiy for the reason that considerab e skill is required in spinning theln. The bodies of such tops are, moreover, usually so nearly cylindrical that when the top is struck repeatedly with the whip used, there is no certainty as to the point at which the whip will engage the body of the top. If the top is engaged too low, it will very likely be thrown up and overturned, and if engaged too high, it is likely that it will be overturned or thrown to one side.-

It is therefore the primary aim ofthe present invention to provide a top of the type mentioned, the body of which is of such formation as to insure ofthe whip striking the top and winding itself about the same on a predetermined circumscribingline,-

whieh is so located- 'thatthere will be. no likelihood of the top being overturned or thrown into the air. With this ,object in view, the invention contem lates formingV the surface of the body of t e top of such contour that the lash of the whip will, be guided to position at the line mentioned above regardless of the point at which the lash initially engages 'the body.

In theaccompanyingdrawing: Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the top embodying the present invention. Fig. 2` a similar view illustrating the to atrest and illustrating in dotted lines t e manner in which the lash of the whip em loyed in spinning the top is initially woun about the same.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description ahd indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters. ln the drawings, the body of the top -is illustrated as consisting' of threey well-defined conical ortions which are 'indicated in Fig. 1 of t e drawings, one by the nu meral'l, another by the numeral 42 and the third by the numeral 3. Thevv extent of each portion being indicated by brackets, opposite which the stated numerals appear. The portions l and 2 are ruSto-conical and are' connected at their minor ends," and itwill be observed thatA the portion 1 ta ers to aless ldegree than the portion 2 an that it is ofgreater height or length than the said portion 2. Conversely fthe portion 2" istaperedto a greater degl?? itam, the' portion 1` :1nd,ioierfo, presents af surface more nearly fiat than vertical.

The purpose of so relatively proportioning I vthe said portions l and 2 is that the lash. of whip striking the, surface of the portion 1 will, by reason of the fact that this surface is more nearly vertical than horizontal, be quickly guided down the surface to the line of juncture of the minor ends of the said frusto-conical portions and, further, the surface of the portion 2 being inclined at a greater angle to the perpendicularnthan the portion 1, will serve to sup ort. the'lash of the whip should the lash initially `strike the surface and also serve to direct the lashl to the line of juncture of the two portions and further to prevent thev lash descending along the body after it has been guided downwardly byV the surface of the portion 1. The upper surface of the' top body is preferably at By reference to the drawings, it will be observed that' the portion 3 is conical, its apex consisting of a metal plug 4 which is sharply pointed and which constitutes the spinning point 'of the top. The portion 3 is united at its base or major end to the base or major end of the portion 2. It is preferable that the body of the top at the line of juncture ,of the minor ends of the frustoconical portions '1 and 2 be formed with a relatively shallow 'andnarrow circumscribing groove 5 in which the lash of the whip portions alone. In other words, it is not contemplated that the top body be' provided with Ya number of circumscribing grooves or a nlmber of relatively narrow oppositely tapered frusta-conical portions located one above the other, but that the working surface of thel top bodyshall bev comprised solely of the surfaces of the portions 1 and 2, so that the lash of the whip employed 2. In a. top, a body comprisingupper und 1,5

will bev with certainty directed into the lower frusto conical portions unlted at their groove 5, and it will consequently. at all minor ends, and a conical'portion projecttimes and under all circumstances engage-.ing from the base of the lower rusto-conithe body at the same line. cal portion, the sid body bei provided Y Having thus described the inventionwhat with e oircumscribinv` oove atlle juncture 2c is claimed as new is: Y of the minor ends ofbt e rustocon1oa1 por- 1. In a top, a body comprising upper an tions. Y I

lower frusto-conical ortions', the lower por- In testimony Awhereof I aiiix my signature tion having its .surface inclined from the in presence of two witnesses.

horizontal-to a1 less*` degree than the surface ROBERT LANGSTAFF.v [L 8.]

of the upper frusto-conical portion, and a Vitnessesz conical portion projecting from the base of MAX WACHTEL,

the lower frusto-conioal portion. NATHAN WACHTEL. 

